Xbox 360 Arcade Invades Japan In March

Microsoft is just not going to give up on Japan, no matter how many times they’re beat down. Officials from the company have announced that the Xbox 360 Arcade will launch in Japan on March 6th, with the intention of finally getting the eastern market to take them seriously. Last year’s western release resulted in a surprisingly popular little system, even though it had no hard drive. That didn’t stop parents from picking up what looks like a bargain basement deal for a gaming system.

The Arcade comes with a 256MB memory card, wireless controller, composite AV cable, HDMI output and five free arcade titles. While you can’t say that Microsoft has broken through the Japanese market, the 360 has been doing better than the original big black Xbox. The Core model, which helped bolster sales in 2006, has kept Microsoft barely viable. The hope is the Arcade, with its lower price point and casual appeal, will spark the fire of the Japanese consumer.

The Xbox 360 Arcade will release on March 6, 2008 for a price of 27,880 yen ($261).